First of all I want to apologize. I haven't been quite as good with these as I should have been. Sometimes I get home late after work, and I do my devo but have no more energy left to post something. But that isn't fair.
Secondly, God is good. I'm not chanting that in a churchy, holier than thou art way. I mean it. God is so good. He has blessed me with so much in life, and over the past few days, he's just been showing me how much he has given me, how much I am blessed with, and also how much he cares for everyone on this earth. God is always there, and He will always be there for you, He is reaching out to you, but often He is just waiting for you to reach back out to him.
Lately, Trevor's church has been speaking on the topic of Living as Royalty. That concept could take years to expand on. It's already taking a pastor weeks. And I'm not a pastor. But every week there is the same words that are repeated over and over. And those are the words that we often live with a "poverty" mentality, and not with a mentality for big kingdom living, and not one where we are already blessed and already have what we need. We focus so much on the so called "lack" in our lives that it leaves us unsatisfied and actually unable to claim the things that could be ours. I'm not saying you can speak over the lottery, "In the name of God, I speak over you that you shall be mine!" This goes way deeper than that. This blows that selfish concept away.
But after I began to hear it week after week, this assertion that a "poverty" mentality hinders our relationships with others, and with God, I began to actually notice it for the first time. I began to see it in my own life, and I began to see it in the lives of people I love. Perhaps it was almost easier to see with them, because of the very things they talked about and the lack of hope they exhibited. Perhaps it would be even stronger if I could videotape myself for a day, and see how I really talk and act. But, the thing is, I have realized that I don't have to live in a state of lack, in a state of "poverty," because I am blessed with so much more than that. It's up to me to take up that mantle of "royalty" and live like a child of God. And, to once again clarify, this doesn't mean that life will be peachy, that nothing will ever go wrong, that you will never be uncomfortable, that you will suddenly possess wealth beyond all imagining. This is an attitude adjustment, and one that I so often need. How often do I fall into the trap of the "poverty mentality?" Way too often.
I'm not sure where all of that came from. I came here tonight to discuss the verse from Jeremiah. I guess I can do that as well. =)
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,'"
--Jeremiah 29:11-14a
I think that is such a powerful verse. It is a verse full of hope, one that sustains us in times of good grace and in times of hardship. Have you ever felt like God was specifically trying to harm you, that He somehow had it in for you? I know I have. But this verse paints a very different picture. God knows the plans for our lives, and His plans are to prosper and NOT to harm us. God is just as concerned with the sparrow as He is with us, He loves us all, and we are all beautiful to Him. His plans would never be to harm us, to bring us down. He has the greatest desire to see us strive and succeed. We are loved. We will succeed. We will prosper. And that is living with a royalty mentality, and not a poverty mentality which tells us we must always struggle in life. We already have the ability to succeed. We are already loved.
And I guess this ties in after all. God says when we call, He listens. When we seek with our whole heart, He will be found by us. This isn't a God who gets "too busy" to deal with us. This isn't a God who falls asleep and forgets to make Himself available. This is a God who will give Himself to us wholly, lovingly. All we have to do is seek Him out as He reaches to us and take His hand as we look for Him with our whole heart.
Tonight, I am thinking of living with a royalty mentality, and not a poverty mentality. And I am thinking of the blessings in my life, the beautiful things and people in my life, the fresh air, the house I live in, my dear friends and family. I am thinking of seeking the Lord, and meditating on what exactly that means. I am seeking Him.
And in seeking Him, I will suddenly find that He too has been seeking me all along.
God is good.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Meditating
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him. 'The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."
--Lamentations 3:22-26
Tonight I am meditating on this verse. I'm going to talk about it tomorrow. But tonight, I don't want to fill my head with my own words, my own thoughts. I want to sit, I want to meditate on His word, I want to open my heart and mind to what God has to say.
You should try it. Even if it is only for five or ten minutes, try it.
Tonight, I am meditating on His great love. Tonight, I am seeking His heart and not my own. Tonight, I am letting go my grudges, my petty thoughts, my complaints that keep me from meeting with Him.
Tonight, I am "waiting quietly."
For in the silence, He waits for me to come to Him.
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,'"
--Jeremiah 29:11-14a
Oh yes, tomorrow is going to be fun.
Meditating tonight.
Amen
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him. 'The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."
--Lamentations 3:22-26
Tonight I am meditating on this verse. I'm going to talk about it tomorrow. But tonight, I don't want to fill my head with my own words, my own thoughts. I want to sit, I want to meditate on His word, I want to open my heart and mind to what God has to say.
You should try it. Even if it is only for five or ten minutes, try it.
Tonight, I am meditating on His great love. Tonight, I am seeking His heart and not my own. Tonight, I am letting go my grudges, my petty thoughts, my complaints that keep me from meeting with Him.
Tonight, I am "waiting quietly."
For in the silence, He waits for me to come to Him.
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,'"
--Jeremiah 29:11-14a
Oh yes, tomorrow is going to be fun.
Meditating tonight.
Amen
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Burden
"Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!"
--Psalm 105:4
I'm stubborn. It's true. I don't like to rely on other people and I like things done my way, quickly, efficiently, thoroughly. These aren't necessarily bad traits, but they do get me into trouble sometimes. As I get older, I realize the danger signs easier, but it wasn't always that way. I would run myself into the ground--pretty much literally, actually, before I would admit weakness and cry uncle. Sometimes I ignore that annoying inner voice that is telling me things I don't want to hear, but then, inevitably, it turns out to be right. I've watched cycle after cycle of it happen in my own life, and cycle after cycle of this same predicament happen with close friends of mine. But what am I talking about?
I'm talking about doing things on your own strength. I'm talking about setting your eyes and heart on the things you want, instead of focusing on what God's heart is leading you. I'm talking about being "too busy" with work, with school, with friends, with family, to spend even a minute or two in prayer everyday, in meditation.
I'm guilty of forever trying to do things "all by myself." It's like I have some horrible "I'm a big girl now!" complex from the pull-ups commercials. I don't want to place trust in someone else to help me, because to do that shows incredible weakness on my part. Of course that isn't true, there is nothing wrong with asking for help, but to me it feels a horrible and shameful crime. Teaching yourself to think a different way, the complete opposite way, really, to constantly seek the Lord and rely on his strength, seems at first completely contradictory to what our own instincts tell us.
And yet, once you change your perspective, a huge weight is lifted off of your shoulders.
There is a beautiful verse in Proverbs:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
--Proverbs 3:5-6
That's a promise. As is the following verse.
"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall."
--Psalm 5:22
So...what you're telling me is that not only do I no longer have to struggle with everything in my life on my own, but that I will be strengthened and encouraged as well? Yup. =)
And, I think it is important to note that we are told to do this, not once a week, not every once in a while, but constantly, continually, and in all ways, not just some.
I'm stubborn, and this concept is a struggle every day to live out, but I know that by trusting in the Lord, and by casting my cares on him, I won't have to inevitably stumble because I am the one stubbornly calling the shots, and not God. Of course that doesn't mean I never slip up and try to control and micromanage everything on my own strength, but the second I am willing to let it all go and let God make the call, it's like I can finally breathe, like a crushing weight has been taken off of me. There is a burden in following Christ, but it isn't an earthly one, and it doesn't crush your soul like earthly troubles do. In reality, it's freeing, it's a new way to view things, it's all of the hope that the world lacks.
I'll end with this verse:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
--Matthew 11:28-30
--Psalm 105:4
I'm stubborn. It's true. I don't like to rely on other people and I like things done my way, quickly, efficiently, thoroughly. These aren't necessarily bad traits, but they do get me into trouble sometimes. As I get older, I realize the danger signs easier, but it wasn't always that way. I would run myself into the ground--pretty much literally, actually, before I would admit weakness and cry uncle. Sometimes I ignore that annoying inner voice that is telling me things I don't want to hear, but then, inevitably, it turns out to be right. I've watched cycle after cycle of it happen in my own life, and cycle after cycle of this same predicament happen with close friends of mine. But what am I talking about?
I'm talking about doing things on your own strength. I'm talking about setting your eyes and heart on the things you want, instead of focusing on what God's heart is leading you. I'm talking about being "too busy" with work, with school, with friends, with family, to spend even a minute or two in prayer everyday, in meditation.
I'm guilty of forever trying to do things "all by myself." It's like I have some horrible "I'm a big girl now!" complex from the pull-ups commercials. I don't want to place trust in someone else to help me, because to do that shows incredible weakness on my part. Of course that isn't true, there is nothing wrong with asking for help, but to me it feels a horrible and shameful crime. Teaching yourself to think a different way, the complete opposite way, really, to constantly seek the Lord and rely on his strength, seems at first completely contradictory to what our own instincts tell us.
And yet, once you change your perspective, a huge weight is lifted off of your shoulders.
There is a beautiful verse in Proverbs:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
--Proverbs 3:5-6
That's a promise. As is the following verse.
"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall."
--Psalm 5:22
So...what you're telling me is that not only do I no longer have to struggle with everything in my life on my own, but that I will be strengthened and encouraged as well? Yup. =)
And, I think it is important to note that we are told to do this, not once a week, not every once in a while, but constantly, continually, and in all ways, not just some.
I'm stubborn, and this concept is a struggle every day to live out, but I know that by trusting in the Lord, and by casting my cares on him, I won't have to inevitably stumble because I am the one stubbornly calling the shots, and not God. Of course that doesn't mean I never slip up and try to control and micromanage everything on my own strength, but the second I am willing to let it all go and let God make the call, it's like I can finally breathe, like a crushing weight has been taken off of me. There is a burden in following Christ, but it isn't an earthly one, and it doesn't crush your soul like earthly troubles do. In reality, it's freeing, it's a new way to view things, it's all of the hope that the world lacks.
I'll end with this verse:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
--Matthew 11:28-30
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Thirsting
"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."
--Psalm 63:1b
We need water to survive. I'm sure that's a newsflash for you. We need water to function as human beings, and we cannot physically take more than a few days without it before we perish. The consumption of water is more than a desire, it is a fundamental need. When you thirst, it's more than a silly impulse. It is your body telling you that the very foundation of life has run low. We need water. Without it, we will die.
This verse compares that thirst to the way we should seek God. Our soul should thirst for God, as a desert thirsts for water, always desperate for more. Seeking God is more than a passive activity and thought. It is an act of desperation. In a land where nothing truly satisfies, we earnestly seek out the Lord, we thirst for him as a dry land thirsts for water, for we know that His is the only water that will quench our thirst, and we know that once the process begins, it won't stop.
So, in my day to day living, do I act and think as though my soul is thirsting for God, never satisfied with the ordinary things of this world, or am I lukewarm about it all? Lukewarm isn't good. I am reminded of the verse in Revelations:
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth."
--Revelation 3:15-16
Woah, doesn't sound like beating around the bush with following the Lord is really going to work for me. And, I suppose, that once you begin that process of truly thirsting for the Lord--craving Him, desiring wholly His word and plans, you are unable to stop. Because a certain peace comes with that as well. I never want to return to the life I used to live, I never want to be forever unsatisfied with everything. I am thirsting for God as a dry land thirsts for water but I am not left unhappy and unsatisfied.
Jesus is referred to as the "living water." Check out this chapter in John which talks about it.
"Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"
--John 4:13-14
I could spend another day just on that passage alone. It is so true. When we partake of the "living water" that Christ provides, we no longer have to be satisfied. We no longer have to seek something that seems unattainable. Our thirst is quenched and satisfied even as a new thirst is renewed and intensified, the thirst to know God. But a sweeter more satisfying thirst there could not be.
I am going to partake of the Living Water, and I am going to continue to thirst to know God, as a dry land thirsts for water. For if I do those things, I will never have to be "thirsty" again.
--Psalm 63:1b
We need water to survive. I'm sure that's a newsflash for you. We need water to function as human beings, and we cannot physically take more than a few days without it before we perish. The consumption of water is more than a desire, it is a fundamental need. When you thirst, it's more than a silly impulse. It is your body telling you that the very foundation of life has run low. We need water. Without it, we will die.
This verse compares that thirst to the way we should seek God. Our soul should thirst for God, as a desert thirsts for water, always desperate for more. Seeking God is more than a passive activity and thought. It is an act of desperation. In a land where nothing truly satisfies, we earnestly seek out the Lord, we thirst for him as a dry land thirsts for water, for we know that His is the only water that will quench our thirst, and we know that once the process begins, it won't stop.
So, in my day to day living, do I act and think as though my soul is thirsting for God, never satisfied with the ordinary things of this world, or am I lukewarm about it all? Lukewarm isn't good. I am reminded of the verse in Revelations:
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth."
--Revelation 3:15-16
Woah, doesn't sound like beating around the bush with following the Lord is really going to work for me. And, I suppose, that once you begin that process of truly thirsting for the Lord--craving Him, desiring wholly His word and plans, you are unable to stop. Because a certain peace comes with that as well. I never want to return to the life I used to live, I never want to be forever unsatisfied with everything. I am thirsting for God as a dry land thirsts for water but I am not left unhappy and unsatisfied.
Jesus is referred to as the "living water." Check out this chapter in John which talks about it.
"Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"
--John 4:13-14
I could spend another day just on that passage alone. It is so true. When we partake of the "living water" that Christ provides, we no longer have to be satisfied. We no longer have to seek something that seems unattainable. Our thirst is quenched and satisfied even as a new thirst is renewed and intensified, the thirst to know God. But a sweeter more satisfying thirst there could not be.
I am going to partake of the Living Water, and I am going to continue to thirst to know God, as a dry land thirsts for water. For if I do those things, I will never have to be "thirsty" again.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Seeking: Take Two
I know I did a previous post about this, and you can read it here,
but I thought that I would go through it a little more thoroughly.
I chose the name of this blog because I want to seek out God's will in my life. I don't always do such a great job, but I want that strive, that focus and determination to define my life.
A few days ago I began to go through the Bible, researching and looking up verses that I thought defined this blog. For some reason I feel like that's important. These are just the verses that applied which specifically used the word "seek." You'll notice that it's not only an instruction, and admonition, but it is also a promise from God to us as well.
"You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, Lord , do I seek.'"
--Psalm 27:8
"One thing have I asked of the Lord , that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple."
--Psalm 27: 4
"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."
--Psalm 63:1b
"May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, 'God is great!'"
--Psalm 70:4
"Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!"
--Psalm 105:4
"Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart"
--Psalm 119:2
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
--Jeremiah 29:11-13
"For thus says the Lord God : 'Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness."
--Ezekiel 34:11-12
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
--Matthew 6:33
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
--Matthew 7:7
There are the verses. Read them over. Read them over again. Meditate on them for awhile. We'll be spending more time with them very very soon. =)
I'm going to end this with a verse that I probably could spend years on, and will spend an entire post on, but one that has been drifting through my mind all day.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"
--2 Corinthians 19:2
That verse defines my life. It's amazing. Read it over. =) Until tomorrow...
but I thought that I would go through it a little more thoroughly.
I chose the name of this blog because I want to seek out God's will in my life. I don't always do such a great job, but I want that strive, that focus and determination to define my life.
A few days ago I began to go through the Bible, researching and looking up verses that I thought defined this blog. For some reason I feel like that's important. These are just the verses that applied which specifically used the word "seek." You'll notice that it's not only an instruction, and admonition, but it is also a promise from God to us as well.
"You have said, 'Seek my face.' My heart says to you, 'Your face, Lord , do I seek.'"
--Psalm 27:8
"One thing have I asked of the Lord , that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple."
--Psalm 27: 4
"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."
--Psalm 63:1b
"May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, 'God is great!'"
--Psalm 70:4
"Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!"
--Psalm 105:4
"Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart"
--Psalm 119:2
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
--Jeremiah 29:11-13
"For thus says the Lord God : 'Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness."
--Ezekiel 34:11-12
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
--Matthew 6:33
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."
--Matthew 7:7
There are the verses. Read them over. Read them over again. Meditate on them for awhile. We'll be spending more time with them very very soon. =)
I'm going to end this with a verse that I probably could spend years on, and will spend an entire post on, but one that has been drifting through my mind all day.
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"
--2 Corinthians 19:2
That verse defines my life. It's amazing. Read it over. =) Until tomorrow...
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Tonight We Pray
"Do not hide your mercy from me, O Lord;
may your love and your truth always protect me.
For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me,
and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs on my head,
and my heart fails within me.
Be pleased, O Lord, to save me;
O Lord, come quickly to help me.
May all who seek to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
May those who say to me, 'Aha! Aha!'
be appalled at their own shame.
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
'The Lord be exalted!'
Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay."
--Psalm 4010-17
I feel like this is part of a prayer. The first two lines are my favorite: Do not hide your mercy from me...may your love and your truth always protect me.
We pray for physical protection, it is true, but this verse goes beyond that. This verse speaks of what happens when you attempt to control your own life, when your sins begin to outnumber "the hairs on your head." And it also deals with some very real problems such as abuse from others, to those who do everything in their power to tear you down. That is a painful fact of life, one that we will inevitably encounter, but we don't have to give in to it. We are able to rest in the Lord's mercy, in his compassion, in his love and truth. These things are presented to us over and over again. Sometimes we fall into the trap of repeating these "truths" of God, but they are in fact, very real, very present in our lives. It's not always easy to see, and sometimes it's even a real struggle, but it's there. I am protected by His great love, His great mercy, His great truth.
I'm sorry this was so short tonight. I'm reading Psalm 42 tonight too, but I want to do a devo completely on that one alone. I don't want to squash it in here. And, tonight, for some reason, I feel scatterbrained, off kilter. I'm not sure why, or maybe it is because there are so many things to discuss that it all becomes lost in translation.
I think, tonight, we should challenge ourselves to pray. Sometimes I feel like my life is one unspoken prayer to God, but how often do I sit and actually pray? And, more importantly, how often do I just sit and let be, and listen to what the Lord has to say? How often am I too busy whining about my own life that I miss out on great opportunities He has for me? His great love? Tonight, I am going to pray, I am going to make that effort, and I am going to concentrate. I am going to sit in silence, and listen, and make it known that it is not my time, but God's and I am open to hear anything He throws my way.
"May those who love your salvation always say, 'The Lord be exalted!""
Amen.
may your love and your truth always protect me.
For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me,
and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs on my head,
and my heart fails within me.
Be pleased, O Lord, to save me;
O Lord, come quickly to help me.
May all who seek to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
May those who say to me, 'Aha! Aha!'
be appalled at their own shame.
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation always say,
'The Lord be exalted!'
Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay."
--Psalm 4010-17
I feel like this is part of a prayer. The first two lines are my favorite: Do not hide your mercy from me...may your love and your truth always protect me.
We pray for physical protection, it is true, but this verse goes beyond that. This verse speaks of what happens when you attempt to control your own life, when your sins begin to outnumber "the hairs on your head." And it also deals with some very real problems such as abuse from others, to those who do everything in their power to tear you down. That is a painful fact of life, one that we will inevitably encounter, but we don't have to give in to it. We are able to rest in the Lord's mercy, in his compassion, in his love and truth. These things are presented to us over and over again. Sometimes we fall into the trap of repeating these "truths" of God, but they are in fact, very real, very present in our lives. It's not always easy to see, and sometimes it's even a real struggle, but it's there. I am protected by His great love, His great mercy, His great truth.
I'm sorry this was so short tonight. I'm reading Psalm 42 tonight too, but I want to do a devo completely on that one alone. I don't want to squash it in here. And, tonight, for some reason, I feel scatterbrained, off kilter. I'm not sure why, or maybe it is because there are so many things to discuss that it all becomes lost in translation.
I think, tonight, we should challenge ourselves to pray. Sometimes I feel like my life is one unspoken prayer to God, but how often do I sit and actually pray? And, more importantly, how often do I just sit and let be, and listen to what the Lord has to say? How often am I too busy whining about my own life that I miss out on great opportunities He has for me? His great love? Tonight, I am going to pray, I am going to make that effort, and I am going to concentrate. I am going to sit in silence, and listen, and make it known that it is not my time, but God's and I am open to hear anything He throws my way.
"May those who love your salvation always say, 'The Lord be exalted!""
Amen.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Not Ashamed
"Then I said,'Here I am, I have come--
it is written about me in the scroll.
I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is written on my heart.
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly.
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O Lord
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly."
--Psalm 40:7-10
The first part of the verse reminds me of another verse in Corinthians:
"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."
--2 Corinthians 3:2-3
We all struggle with certain things. I think one of the biggest struggles as a Christian is living as though God's law were, "written on" your heart. It isn't easy. How easy is it to live and portray yourself as the rest of the world does in order to be accepted. No one wants to stand out in a way that others often perceive as negative. And, sadly, that's the way people see Christians. We're hypocritical, we're goody-too-shoes, we're no fun, we're sticks in the mud, unwilling to do anything. And so, a lot of us cave under that pressure and forgo the way we know we should act in favor of a fleeting moment. We've all done it, somewhere, some time. I'll admit it. I have. It's just too easy to do. The struggle, the hard part comes when I choose to act differently. I know I should be living with God's law written on my heart. It's how I should feel, a very core part of my being. So why don't I always live that way? And then comes the verse from Corinthians. "You yourselves are our letter....known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ..." Uh oh. I'm supposed to be the example of Christ to others. How well am I doing with that? Am I living like I have Christ's words inscribed upon my heart, or do I live like I am working for my own goals and benefits? I am told, quite clearly, that I am a light to others who are in the darkness. So why would I hide that light to become another one of the lost?
And then, the next portion of the passage speaks of being bold before others. I do not seal my lips, it says, I do not hide your righteousness. I think I'm being told something here. Here's a couple of verses that came to me when I thought of this:
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."
--Romans 1:16a
"That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day."
---2 Timothy 1:16
Hm, see the verse references. Coincidence? I like when that happens.
The first verse tells me why I should not be ashamed. The second verse acknowledges that it won't be easy, but that there is a purpose to the trials that come with proclaiming and living a Christ-like life. We cannot be ashamed. We cannot hide this word written on our hearts, not on tablets of stone, we cannot deny this great love and the righteousness that is here. How can I conceal such amazing love, such truth and righteousness? How can I refuse to share that with others? This is what I should be thinking next time I want to hide behind anonymity. I want people to go, "there's something different about her, something I can't tell, but that is definitely not like the rest of the crowd. What is it? I know she's a Christian, but that couldn't be it, could it? Maybe I should ask her about it." I want my life to be a testament, as I am instructed to be an open letter to the population. I don't want my life to be recognized as just another hypocritical Christian. I am not ashamed of my God, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it holds such hope, and our broken world needs to hear that. There is more to life than empty promises. There is more to life than heartbreak and pain. There is more to life than a meaningless pursuit of pleasure. I am seeking His face, and I am not ashamed. I am not ashamed to live for Him.
So tomorrow, when I am faced with others who see the world differently than I do, how will I react? Will I stay strong, or will I be swayed? I am God's letter, His love letter, written to everyone. So what am I going to do to show the world that?
I am not ashamed.
it is written about me in the scroll.
I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is written on my heart.
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly.
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O Lord
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth
from the great assembly."
--Psalm 40:7-10
The first part of the verse reminds me of another verse in Corinthians:
"You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."
--2 Corinthians 3:2-3
We all struggle with certain things. I think one of the biggest struggles as a Christian is living as though God's law were, "written on" your heart. It isn't easy. How easy is it to live and portray yourself as the rest of the world does in order to be accepted. No one wants to stand out in a way that others often perceive as negative. And, sadly, that's the way people see Christians. We're hypocritical, we're goody-too-shoes, we're no fun, we're sticks in the mud, unwilling to do anything. And so, a lot of us cave under that pressure and forgo the way we know we should act in favor of a fleeting moment. We've all done it, somewhere, some time. I'll admit it. I have. It's just too easy to do. The struggle, the hard part comes when I choose to act differently. I know I should be living with God's law written on my heart. It's how I should feel, a very core part of my being. So why don't I always live that way? And then comes the verse from Corinthians. "You yourselves are our letter....known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ..." Uh oh. I'm supposed to be the example of Christ to others. How well am I doing with that? Am I living like I have Christ's words inscribed upon my heart, or do I live like I am working for my own goals and benefits? I am told, quite clearly, that I am a light to others who are in the darkness. So why would I hide that light to become another one of the lost?
And then, the next portion of the passage speaks of being bold before others. I do not seal my lips, it says, I do not hide your righteousness. I think I'm being told something here. Here's a couple of verses that came to me when I thought of this:
"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."
--Romans 1:16a
"That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day."
---2 Timothy 1:16
Hm, see the verse references. Coincidence? I like when that happens.
The first verse tells me why I should not be ashamed. The second verse acknowledges that it won't be easy, but that there is a purpose to the trials that come with proclaiming and living a Christ-like life. We cannot be ashamed. We cannot hide this word written on our hearts, not on tablets of stone, we cannot deny this great love and the righteousness that is here. How can I conceal such amazing love, such truth and righteousness? How can I refuse to share that with others? This is what I should be thinking next time I want to hide behind anonymity. I want people to go, "there's something different about her, something I can't tell, but that is definitely not like the rest of the crowd. What is it? I know she's a Christian, but that couldn't be it, could it? Maybe I should ask her about it." I want my life to be a testament, as I am instructed to be an open letter to the population. I don't want my life to be recognized as just another hypocritical Christian. I am not ashamed of my God, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it holds such hope, and our broken world needs to hear that. There is more to life than empty promises. There is more to life than heartbreak and pain. There is more to life than a meaningless pursuit of pleasure. I am seeking His face, and I am not ashamed. I am not ashamed to live for Him.
So tomorrow, when I am faced with others who see the world differently than I do, how will I react? Will I stay strong, or will I be swayed? I am God's letter, His love letter, written to everyone. So what am I going to do to show the world that?
I am not ashamed.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Sacrifices and Burnt Offerings
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but my ears you have pierced;
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require."
--Psalm 40:6
It's a really short section of the chapter. But I think it is a very important one to consider.
In the Old Testament, there were very specific steps you had to take to absolve yourself from sin. This continued on for thousands of years, until Christ came. When he placed himself on the cross, he became, at that moment, every sacrifice and offering we would ever have to make with the hope of trying to hold a relationship with God. I love this verse because to me it portrays God's intense desire to have a relationship with us, and not merely subservient beings made to flatter and obey. There is more to knowing God than most people think. Truly, it is a great flaw in the way we have portrayed Christianity that people think it is all about the rules, and not about the deep relationship. With the relationship comes desire to follow, not "rules" but a better way of living. It is a big picture way of living, and it separates us from the path previously traveled, the one that lives for empty meaningless self serving pleasure. I'm not saying it's wrong to feel good, or to enjoy yourself, but if that is all you live for, you will find yourself very alone, and very very empty, without purpose. And what do you require to feel those things? Is it sex, drugs, looking good, partying constantly? I heard something on Sunday that really struck me. The pastor was talking about drugs, and today's youth. Can't you see they're controlling you? He said. Can't you see? We deny it, we are in denial because we know it's true and we don't want to believe it. But when it comes down to it, who is in control? If I think I'm controlling a situation, I'm about to get another thing coming to me. When I try to control something, it will always go wrong eventually.
But what of those who say that following "rules" is a complete drag? It's the mindset that makes a difference. There are certain things that make absolutely no sense to me, and I am sure the same applies to you. It's how we think. When I made the choice to have a "kingdom" mindset, certain things just no longer made sense. Now, a lot of it didn't happen overnight, and there were different choices that I had to make, but once I made that decision to change, life became a lot different. The most noticeable difference immediately was the fact that I finally felt like I had purpose, that life wasn't in fact empty and meaningless. In another translation, it says that "my ears you have opened." My ears have been pierced, they have been opened to greater truths than I can conclude on my own. I have a God who does not require meaningless tradition and burnt offerings. I have a God who desires a relationship with me, who wants to me to know Him and love Him as much as He loves and knows me. He doesn't have a "quick fix" for a sin. He gave us his own immeasurably costly sacrifice so that we would no longer have to worry about sin offerings. He never had to do that. He never had to care. And yet, He did. I cannot compute this amazing love God has for us. But I sure do appreciate it.
but my ears you have pierced;
burnt offerings and sin offerings
you did not require."
--Psalm 40:6
It's a really short section of the chapter. But I think it is a very important one to consider.
In the Old Testament, there were very specific steps you had to take to absolve yourself from sin. This continued on for thousands of years, until Christ came. When he placed himself on the cross, he became, at that moment, every sacrifice and offering we would ever have to make with the hope of trying to hold a relationship with God. I love this verse because to me it portrays God's intense desire to have a relationship with us, and not merely subservient beings made to flatter and obey. There is more to knowing God than most people think. Truly, it is a great flaw in the way we have portrayed Christianity that people think it is all about the rules, and not about the deep relationship. With the relationship comes desire to follow, not "rules" but a better way of living. It is a big picture way of living, and it separates us from the path previously traveled, the one that lives for empty meaningless self serving pleasure. I'm not saying it's wrong to feel good, or to enjoy yourself, but if that is all you live for, you will find yourself very alone, and very very empty, without purpose. And what do you require to feel those things? Is it sex, drugs, looking good, partying constantly? I heard something on Sunday that really struck me. The pastor was talking about drugs, and today's youth. Can't you see they're controlling you? He said. Can't you see? We deny it, we are in denial because we know it's true and we don't want to believe it. But when it comes down to it, who is in control? If I think I'm controlling a situation, I'm about to get another thing coming to me. When I try to control something, it will always go wrong eventually.
But what of those who say that following "rules" is a complete drag? It's the mindset that makes a difference. There are certain things that make absolutely no sense to me, and I am sure the same applies to you. It's how we think. When I made the choice to have a "kingdom" mindset, certain things just no longer made sense. Now, a lot of it didn't happen overnight, and there were different choices that I had to make, but once I made that decision to change, life became a lot different. The most noticeable difference immediately was the fact that I finally felt like I had purpose, that life wasn't in fact empty and meaningless. In another translation, it says that "my ears you have opened." My ears have been pierced, they have been opened to greater truths than I can conclude on my own. I have a God who does not require meaningless tradition and burnt offerings. I have a God who desires a relationship with me, who wants to me to know Him and love Him as much as He loves and knows me. He doesn't have a "quick fix" for a sin. He gave us his own immeasurably costly sacrifice so that we would no longer have to worry about sin offerings. He never had to do that. He never had to care. And yet, He did. I cannot compute this amazing love God has for us. But I sure do appreciate it.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Glory to God
"Blessed is the man
who makes the Lord his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, O Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare."
--Psalm 40:4-5
I feel like this passage is pretty much short and too the point, self explanatory. I like it. I like it a lot. It is concise and it states some truths exactly how they are, but without a lot of wordiness. Don't get me wrong, I love poetic speech, but sometimes I really like the "tell it how it is" approach. Let's break it down now.
"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods."
I think I am a really trustworthy person. Which, I guess makes me proud. But I do make mistakes, I do slip up. I'm human. It happens. Even I wouldn't want to put all of my trust in me. I'm really glad I don't have to, because I make a lot of mistakes. Mistakes that matter. And why does it matter that we trust God so much, more than anyone else? Because, not only does God truly love you, care for you, have an amazing plan for you, but He is after your best interests. You can't say that about anyone else on this earth. In nearly everything we do, there is a grain that is self interest. I have to repeatedly tear down idols and false gods in my own flawed life. I have to worry about my choices, my thoughts, even my own motives at times. But with God, none of that exists. There is nothing above Him. Even the next verse attests to that.
"Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare."
God has awesome, mysterious things planned, and we have no way of knowing what those things are. He has done so many wonders that we cannot even fathom. I cannot imagine how He holds the utmost concern for each and every creature of his creation, that He knows the hairs on my head, the very sparrow that flies above me. There is so much to tell, that you can't tell it all. You have to give up after a while and just go, "Glory to God. Glory for the mighty works and wonders of His hands." Glory to God.
I place my trust in the Lord, for He knows all things, and He truly holds my best interests in His heart. I marvel at the wonders of His hands, and I thank Him for how incredible they are. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest.
who makes the Lord his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, O Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare."
--Psalm 40:4-5
I feel like this passage is pretty much short and too the point, self explanatory. I like it. I like it a lot. It is concise and it states some truths exactly how they are, but without a lot of wordiness. Don't get me wrong, I love poetic speech, but sometimes I really like the "tell it how it is" approach. Let's break it down now.
"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods."
I think I am a really trustworthy person. Which, I guess makes me proud. But I do make mistakes, I do slip up. I'm human. It happens. Even I wouldn't want to put all of my trust in me. I'm really glad I don't have to, because I make a lot of mistakes. Mistakes that matter. And why does it matter that we trust God so much, more than anyone else? Because, not only does God truly love you, care for you, have an amazing plan for you, but He is after your best interests. You can't say that about anyone else on this earth. In nearly everything we do, there is a grain that is self interest. I have to repeatedly tear down idols and false gods in my own flawed life. I have to worry about my choices, my thoughts, even my own motives at times. But with God, none of that exists. There is nothing above Him. Even the next verse attests to that.
"Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare."
God has awesome, mysterious things planned, and we have no way of knowing what those things are. He has done so many wonders that we cannot even fathom. I cannot imagine how He holds the utmost concern for each and every creature of his creation, that He knows the hairs on my head, the very sparrow that flies above me. There is so much to tell, that you can't tell it all. You have to give up after a while and just go, "Glory to God. Glory for the mighty works and wonders of His hands." Glory to God.
I place my trust in the Lord, for He knows all things, and He truly holds my best interests in His heart. I marvel at the wonders of His hands, and I thank Him for how incredible they are. Glory to God. Glory to God in the highest.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Broken
"I waited patiently for the Lord;
he lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet upon a rock,
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord."
--Psalm 40:1-3
I am going to address this Psalm in pieces. This may be all I get to tonight, this very small piece of the psalm, but I think it might be better that way. I'd rather spend a lot of quality time on one area than push through an entire chapter and barely skim it, begin to grasp it.
Tonight, like many other nights, and days as well, my heart is breaking. My heart is breaking for a broken and fallen world, for the humanity that suffers, that cries out for relief. It is killing me, this ache, this brokenness that burrows inside me, powerless to change anything, to take away the pain from others. If I could, I would take the pain of the world. But I can't. It's actually already been done for me. It's why we have Jesus. But then there is the question that inevitably will always come up.
If Christ is there to take the pain onto himself, then why is it still here? Why do we still hurt? Why do such horrible things keep happening? Where is the greater meaning in this painful, agony stricken broken world? Why do we hurt if He is supposedly here to take it away?
We live in a broken world, and that is a fact. And we are separated from God's world because of the sin that has entered this world. It separates us from God. The bridge that He provided through Christ is the only way to truly connect with Him, so that we can "cast our burden" on Christ, depend on Him when our own strength fails and falls completely short. We are all burdened. It's up to us if we want to carry that alone, or give it away to someone who has the greatest heart and love for us that we will ever know.
This passage just reminds me of some dear friends I have who lived through the Haiti earthquake, whose five story apartment building collapsed completely on them (they were on the bottom floor),living out the psalm literally, and not figuratively. Buried in rubble, in mud, mire, sewage, unable to trust in anything of this world, unable to trust the very ground they were forced to lie upon as the world crashed to a screaming wrenching pile around them, but placing their trust, their hope in the Lord. And then later while they clung to a tree for shelter, singing praises, singing hymns as the ground trembled beneath them. Trusting God to be their firm rock to stand upon, a grounding that would not let them be shaken or moved. Later, as the response in Haiti was so completely the opposite of something that could have been expected in such a situation, that instead of cursing God, crying and lamenting, people turned to Him, they saw His power in all of the mess, they saw His love and they placed their trust in Him. Watching as millions of people, already starving, fasted for Haiti, for God, sang with deafening power, raw intense feeling, faith more real than anything our "Sunday Christians" have ever had here.
I don't even know if tonight's devo even had a purpose. Maybe tonight I am just observing. I am two halves of a whole. One side is just so happy, even when I am sad, I have joy, and I smile because I have this incredible HOPE, this incredible LOVE. But the other side, the raw, cut, deep side is broken. I asked for it. I sang for it. "Break my heart for what breaks Yours. Everything I am for your kingdom's cause." Was I really expecting this in return? Was I really as ready for it as I thought I was? Maybe. Maybe not. I am observing this new brokenness in my life, this new perspective that has come with a new chapter. And it hurts. It hurts a lot. But at least this pain doesn't leave me hopeless. And in the end, I think that is the most important point of all.
Despite this brokenness, we can have hope. We can stand firm in His word, in His love.
I am broken. But I have hope.
he lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet upon a rock,
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord."
--Psalm 40:1-3
I am going to address this Psalm in pieces. This may be all I get to tonight, this very small piece of the psalm, but I think it might be better that way. I'd rather spend a lot of quality time on one area than push through an entire chapter and barely skim it, begin to grasp it.
Tonight, like many other nights, and days as well, my heart is breaking. My heart is breaking for a broken and fallen world, for the humanity that suffers, that cries out for relief. It is killing me, this ache, this brokenness that burrows inside me, powerless to change anything, to take away the pain from others. If I could, I would take the pain of the world. But I can't. It's actually already been done for me. It's why we have Jesus. But then there is the question that inevitably will always come up.
If Christ is there to take the pain onto himself, then why is it still here? Why do we still hurt? Why do such horrible things keep happening? Where is the greater meaning in this painful, agony stricken broken world? Why do we hurt if He is supposedly here to take it away?
We live in a broken world, and that is a fact. And we are separated from God's world because of the sin that has entered this world. It separates us from God. The bridge that He provided through Christ is the only way to truly connect with Him, so that we can "cast our burden" on Christ, depend on Him when our own strength fails and falls completely short. We are all burdened. It's up to us if we want to carry that alone, or give it away to someone who has the greatest heart and love for us that we will ever know.
This passage just reminds me of some dear friends I have who lived through the Haiti earthquake, whose five story apartment building collapsed completely on them (they were on the bottom floor),living out the psalm literally, and not figuratively. Buried in rubble, in mud, mire, sewage, unable to trust in anything of this world, unable to trust the very ground they were forced to lie upon as the world crashed to a screaming wrenching pile around them, but placing their trust, their hope in the Lord. And then later while they clung to a tree for shelter, singing praises, singing hymns as the ground trembled beneath them. Trusting God to be their firm rock to stand upon, a grounding that would not let them be shaken or moved. Later, as the response in Haiti was so completely the opposite of something that could have been expected in such a situation, that instead of cursing God, crying and lamenting, people turned to Him, they saw His power in all of the mess, they saw His love and they placed their trust in Him. Watching as millions of people, already starving, fasted for Haiti, for God, sang with deafening power, raw intense feeling, faith more real than anything our "Sunday Christians" have ever had here.
I don't even know if tonight's devo even had a purpose. Maybe tonight I am just observing. I am two halves of a whole. One side is just so happy, even when I am sad, I have joy, and I smile because I have this incredible HOPE, this incredible LOVE. But the other side, the raw, cut, deep side is broken. I asked for it. I sang for it. "Break my heart for what breaks Yours. Everything I am for your kingdom's cause." Was I really expecting this in return? Was I really as ready for it as I thought I was? Maybe. Maybe not. I am observing this new brokenness in my life, this new perspective that has come with a new chapter. And it hurts. It hurts a lot. But at least this pain doesn't leave me hopeless. And in the end, I think that is the most important point of all.
Despite this brokenness, we can have hope. We can stand firm in His word, in His love.
I am broken. But I have hope.
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